AB 390

  • California Assembly Bill
  • 2021-2022 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Assembly
  • Passed Assembly May 03, 2021
  • Passed Senate Sep 02, 2021
  • Became Law Oct 04, 2021

Advertising: automatic renewal and continuous service offers: notice and online termination.

Abstract

Existing law regulates automatic renewal offers and continuous service offers that businesses make to California consumers. Existing law makes it unlawful for a business that makes an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer to a consumer in this state, among other things, to fail to present the automatic renewal or continuous service offer terms in a clear and conspicuous manner, to charge the consumer for an automatic renewal or continuous service without first obtaining the consumer's affirmative consent, and to fail to provide an acknowledgment that includes the automatic renewal or continuous service offer terms, cancellation policy, and information regarding how to cancel in a manner that is capable of being retained by the consumer, as specified. This bill would, beginning July 1, 2022, revise and recast these provisions to also make it unlawful for the business to fail to provide a consumer with a notice containing specified information if the consumer accepted a free gift or trial, lasting 31 or more days that was included in an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer or accepted an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer at a promotional or discounted price, and the applicability of that price was more than 31 days. In these circumstances, the bill would require the notice to be provided at least 3 days before and at most 21 days before the expiration of the period of time for which the free gift or trial, or promotional or discounted price, applies. This bill would also require the notice, as specified, if the consumer accepted an automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer with an initial term of one year or longer that automatically renews for a subsequent term that is longer than one month, unless the consumer cancels the contract. In these circumstances, the bill would require the notice to be provided at least 15 days and not more than 45 days before the automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer renews. The bill would provide that if both types of notice are warranted, only the notice provisions requiring notice at least 15 days and not more than 45 days before the automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer renews apply. If sent electronically, the bill would require the notice to include a link that directs the consumer to the cancellation process, or another reasonably accessible electronic method that directs the consumer to the cancellation process if no link exists. Under existing law, if a consumer accepts an automatic renewal or continuous service offer online, then the business is required to allow the consumer to terminate the offer exclusively online, which may include a termination email formatted and provided by the business. This bill would additionally require the business to allow a consumer to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service offer at will, and without engaging any further steps that obstruct or delay the consumer's ability to terminate immediately. The bill would require the business to provide a method of termination that is either online in the form of a prominently located direct link or button to cancel or by a termination email, as provided. This bill would also authorize a business to require a consumer to enter account information or otherwise authenticate online before termination of the automatic renewal or continuous service online, provided that a consumer who is unwilling or unable to enter account information or otherwise authenticate online before termination is not precluded from authenticating or terminating offline using another method, as specified. The bill would authorize these requirements to be fulfilled after completion of an initial order.

Bill Sponsors (5)

Votes


Actions


Oct 04, 2021

California State Legislature

Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 450, Statutes of 2021.

California State Legislature

Approved by the Governor.

Sep 15, 2021

California State Legislature

Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 5 p.m.

Sep 08, 2021

Assembly

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 2878.).

Sep 02, 2021

Senate

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2359.).

Assembly

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 4 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

Jun 24, 2021

Senate

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Jun 23, 2021

Senate

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 22).

Jun 14, 2021

Senate

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  • Amendment-Introduction
  • Amendment-Passage
  • Reading-1
  • Reading-2
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on JUD.

May 12, 2021

Senate

Referred to Com. on JUD.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on JUD.

May 04, 2021

Senate

In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

May 03, 2021

Assembly

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 1. Page 1280.)

Apr 27, 2021

Assembly

Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

Apr 26, 2021

Assembly

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 22).

Assembly

Coauthors revised.

Apr 13, 2021

Assembly

Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on P. & C.P.

Apr 12, 2021

Assembly

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.

Apr 08, 2021

Assembly

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

Feb 12, 2021

Assembly

Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on P. & C.P.

Feb 03, 2021

Assembly

From printer. May be heard in committee March 5.

Feb 02, 2021

Assembly

Read first time. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
AB390 HTML
02/02/21 - Introduced PDF
04/12/21 - Amended Assembly PDF
06/14/21 - Amended Senate PDF
09/10/21 - Enrolled PDF
10/04/21 - Chaptered PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
04/20/21- Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection PDF
04/28/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS PDF
06/18/21- Senate Judiciary PDF
06/25/21- Sen. Floor Analyses PDF
09/02/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS PDF

Sources

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